Monday, 28 November 2011

MobLang – The modern way of learning a foreign language through your mobile phone

MobLang aims to teach basic conversation language skills using mobile phones. MobLang has received extensive media coverage from local Basque mass media following its official launching in the Basque Country of Spain. The project also launched in Greece, Northern Ireland and Cyprus.

MobLang Partners met in San Sebastian in the Basque country in Spain on the 14-18th October 2011 for the conference ‘Mobile learning as the future of education’. The conference was a huge success that was opened by the Minister of Education of the Basque country and was attended by more than 100 people.

MobLang stands for Mobile Language learning and the core idea is to support people in conflict zones to learn the language of each others’ community. These scientifically validated multimedia courses have been developed by the Language Center of the University of Cyprus and software has been developed for mobile phones running Java. Each course consists of essential vocabulary, phrases, dialogues, and exercises which are reinforced with sound and images

The courses are free of charge and are available for Greek speakers to learn Turkish, Turkish speakers to learn Greek, Greek speakers to learn Albanian, and Spanish speakers to learn Basque. Special versions are also available for Greek speaking nurses to learn Turkish and finally for English speaking children to learn Gaelic.

MobLang promotes intercultural dialogue, especially in former European conflict regions or regions with many minority groups, through promotion of linguistic diversity. Due to language barriers between individuals of different ethnic groups living in the same country, or Europeans visiting other countries for business or pleasure, natural interaction is hindered.

Communication in a foreign language can hold back the development of friendships and closer relationships, thus preventing fruitful intercultural exchange and dialogue. Basic language knowledge of one’s conversational partner is usually appreciated and creates a comforting atmosphere. Today’s Europeans are too busy to attend language classes. Exploiting technology and especially the recently emerging developments as far as mobile learning is concerned could offer a viable alternative. Mobile phones are the optimal learning tools that could enable people to learn anytime, anywhere, and at their own pace.

Friday, 18 November 2011

The short film “In the name of the father”, is the winner of the online short film competition that has taken place from 7th to 17th November in the framework of the EU-funded project ‘MDGs-Media for Development Goals’, organized by Future Worlds Center( leg. reg. Cyprus Neuroscience and Technology Institute).

The short film has been created by four students of Olympion High School in Paliometocho,- namely Stelios Stylianou, Marilena Odysseos, Lucia Poyiadji, and Virginia Mitsi- under the supervision of the media trainer Ivan Charalambous and their teacher Maria Papoula.

The film ranked first, by gathering 2476 points, among 10 student videos available for online voting during competition.

The thematic of the film focuses on the issue of gender discrimination in the family context, and seeks to uncover the gender dimension of family violence in a vivid and powerful way. In this way, the film aims to raise awareness about MDG 3 and the global responsibility to promote Gender Equality.

All 10 student videos that have taken part in the competition seek to raise awareness about the MDGs by focusing on hot issues of Migration, Gender Equality, Environmental Sustainability, Global Trade and Active Citizenship as they are experienced in Cyprus.

The films focus on the hot issues of Migration, Gender Equality, Environmental Sustainability, Global Trade and Active Citizenship as they are experienced in Cyprus. They aim to stir people’s thinking around these issues and the challenges that they pose.

The short movies have been created by 25 students from 4 secondary schools in Cyprus, in the framework of the EU-funded project ‘MDGs-Media for Development Goals. Participating schools are: Olympion Highschool in Paliometocho, Ayios Ioannis Lyceum in Limassol, International School of Paphos and American Academy, Nicosia.

Friday, 11 November 2011

The online film competition started 7th November and until the 17th, you will have the opportunity to watch 10 short films on the Millennium Development Goals, and vote for the ones you consider the best!

The videos have been created by students of 4 secondary schools in Cyprus, in the framework of the EU-funded project “MDGs- Media for Development Goals”.

Tuesday, 8 November 2011

The Cyprus Safer Internet Center (Cyberethics) in collaboration with World Vision International, would like to announce this year’s Safer Internet Conference with the Safer Internet Day 2012 theme ‘Discover the digital world together, safely!’ on the 17th of November 2011, at 09:30-12:30 am, at the European University of Cyprus.

The conference will be given in English and speakers/experts from Cyprus and World Vision collaborating offices from (Georgia, Armenia, Lebanon, Jerusalem/West Bank/Gaza) will present current trends and news from each country related with Internet safety and the technological gap that exists between generations.

The conference will be under the auspices of the Ministry of Education and Culture and Mr. Vartkes Mahdessian, MP Representative for the Armenian community in Cyprus will do the welcoming speech.

For more information and interviews, please contact Georgina Siitta Achilleos or Anna Maria Drousiotou (CyberEthics) georgina@cnti.org.cy, annamaria@cnti.org.cy or at 22873820 Or Mandy Yamanis (World Vision) mandy_yamanis@wvi.org or at 22870277.

Some words about the organizers:

Cyberethics: The Cyprus Safer Internet Centre, Cyberethics has been active in Cyprus since 2006. The Center is a consortium made of five partners which are Cyprus Neuroscience and Technology Institute (Coordinator), Ministry of Education and Culture – Cyprus Pedagogical Institute, CYTA – Cyprus Telecommunication Authority, The Olive Branch Foundation and the Pancyprian Coordinating Committee for the Protection and Welfare of Children. The Center serves as an Awareness Node along with its Hotline and the Helpline. The centre undertakes various awareness raising activities along with the Hotline and Helpline services it provides. Through out aforementioned Cyberethics project Cyprus Safer Internet Centre, its partners, associated partners and advisory board have generated a widespread network across Europe on Internet Safety issues. Therefore, the Centre can serve as a link between counties other than the EU and the European Union for the good information flow amongst each other mainly on best practices in individual countries.

World Vision: World Vision is a child focused humanitarian organization that is governed as an international partnership. Inspired by our Christian values, World Vision is currently serving the world’s most vulnerable people in nearly 100 countries through programs related to humanitarian emergency relief, community development, and advocacy. As a child focused organization, World Vision aims to protect all children and their caregivers from abuse and exploitation when using the internet, mobiles and other technologies. The Keeping Children Safe Online project sets a precedence for grassroots education around cyber safety and provides a skill set for successful and fun social media use. The project is expanding further in, Armenia, Georgia, Lebanon and Jerusalem West Bank Gaza with a future aim to involve all World Vision National Offices throughout the globe.

From 7th to 17th November, the public will have the opportunity to watch 10 short films on the Millennium Development Goals, and vote for the ones they consider to be the best.

The films revolve around the hot issues of Migration, Gender Equality, Environmental Sustainability, Global Trade and Active Citizenship as they are experienced in Cyprus. They aim to stir people’s thinking around these issues and the challenges that they pose.

The short movies have been created by 25 students from 4 secondary schools in Cyprus, in the framework of the EU-funded project ‘MDGs-Media for Development Goals. Participating schools are: Olympion Highschool in Paliometocho, Ayios Ioannis Lyceum in Limassol, International School of Paphos and American Academy, Nicosia.

Take the chance to visit www.fwcis.blogspot.com or http://youth4world.com/ on Monday 7th November and find out how you can access the competition platform, watch the films, and vote for your favourite videos!

You can also visit: For more information about the competition and the project please contact project coordinator at nicolina.markidou@gmail.com or call 22-873820. You can also visit the Facebook page:

Wednesday, 2 November 2011

The online film competition announced recently by Future Worlds Center, starts this Monday 7th November!

From 7th to 17th November, you will have the opportunity to watch 10 short films on the Millennium Development Goals, and vote for the ones you consider the best!

The films revolve around the hot issues of Migration, Gender Equality, Environmental Sustainability, Global Trade and Active Citizenship as they are experienced in Cyprus.

They aim to stir people’s thinking around these issues and the challenges that they pose.

The short movies have been created by 25 students from 4 secondary schools in Cyprus, in the framework of the EU-funded project ‘MDGs-Media for Development Goals. Participating schools are: Olympion Highschool in Paliometocho, Ayios Ioannis Lyceum in Limassol, International School of Paphos and American Academy, Nicosia.

Take the chance to visit this space on Monday 7th November and find out how you can access the competition platform, watch the movies,and vote for your favourite videos!